4Real Forums: Need help with language arts

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Topic: Need help with language arts

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JuliaT
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Joined: June 25 2006
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Posts: 563

Posted: Dec 17 2010 at 4:40pm \| IP Logged

I have been stumbling around this year so far with my oldest's language arts schedule. I am trying to get things cleaned up so we can start off on a positive note in Jan.

She is in Gr. 6 and has mild dyslexia. The dyslexia does not affect her reading but it does come out in her writing and her memory. As a result, grammar has been a dismal failure. She has great difficulty in remembering what a noun or a verb is etc. so we have set the formal grammar program up for this year. My problem is that I don't know what to fill in it's place. Her schedule looks light. I was wondering if I could get feedback on what we are doing and suggestions on anything we could do better.

This is how I have her schedule so far:
Mon.--read chp. in lit. book,
      write narration
      copywork from section of lit. book
      Classical Writing Poetry

Tues.--read chp. in lit. book
       write narration
       dictation
       Classical Writing Poetry

Wed.--read chp. in lit. book
      write narration
      diagram 2 sentences found in lit. book (for some
      reason she has no problems in diagramming)
      CW Poetry

Thurs--read chp. in lit. book
       write narration
       CW Poetry

Fri.--read chp. in lit book
      write narration
      copywork
      MadLibs

I don't know whether writing narrations everyday is overkill or not. I would appreciate some thoughts on this. I feel like I am treading precariously in deep waters.

Thanks for any help given.

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Julia
mom of 3(14,13 & 11 yrs.old)
MusingsofaPrairieGirl

Mackfam
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Joined: April 24 2006
Location: Alabama
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Posts: 14656

Posted: Dec 17 2010 at 4:55pm \| IP Logged

JuliaT wrote:

I don't know whether writing narrations everyday is overkill or not. I would appreciate some thoughts on this. I feel like I am treading precariously in deep waters.

I think your idea of pulling back into a more gentle language arts program looks great, Julia!

I'd work in basic/simple grammar exercises through dictations and really focus on building up oral narrations daily. If you're concerned about writing at all, I'd focus on one good written narration with best effort, one per week, rather than a daily written narration. Ease into more if that goes well. I don't ask for written narrations at all until I have a 10 year old for whom the skill of writing is no longer challenging/frustrating/difficult.

If you're at all interested, you can read my post on grammar here. The entire language arts series of posts starts here.

Tweaking your plan ever so slightly (my changes are in bold...and this is definitely just a suggestion!!!!)...

Mon.--read chp. in lit. book,
      oral narration
      copywork from section of lit. book
      Classical Writing Poetry

Tues.--read chp. in lit. book
       oral narration
       studied dictation - with a simple grammar exercise.
       Classical Writing Poetry

Wed.--read chp. in lit. book
      oral narration
      write dictation selection - if one day of study is sufficient, otherwise study selection again and write on Thursday.
      diagram 2 sentences found in lit. book (for some
      reason she has no problems in diagramming)
      CW Poetry

Thurs--read chp. in lit. book
       oral narration
       write dictation selection
       CW Poetry

Fri.--read aloud
      write narration
      (eliminate other writing on this day so that best effort can be given to the written narration)
      MadLibs

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ekbell
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Joined: May 22 2009
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Posts: 747

Posted: Dec 17 2010 at 4:59pm \| IP Logged

I'd consider replacing some of the written narrations with oral narration if she has problems above the ordinary with writing (perhaps on the days that she has writing in the form of copywork or dictation).

Being able to give a clear and complete oral narrative of something you've experienced or read without reading it aloud is a useful skill. It's even better if you can story-tell.

I needed to take a course on speechmaking in University and we spent a third of the course on doing simple narrative speeches without writing them completely out ahead of time and just reading them

Doing so entertainingly was the last third of the course!

JuliaT
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Joined: June 25 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 563

Posted: Dec 17 2010 at 9:41pm \| IP Logged

Thank you both for your thoughts.

We have always done oral narrations since she was 6 so I thought we should be moving into written narrations but I agree that everyday is too much.

Jen, I read your LA posts when you first posted them but I think I should probably revisit them to refresh my memory. Thank you for the tweaking. I appreciate you taking the time to think this all out with me. I love your suggestions and will probably change our plan to fit in your tweakings.

Thank you so much!

__________________
Blessings,
Julia
mom of 3(14,13 & 11 yrs.old)
MusingsofaPrairieGirl

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